River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-05-26
CHARLES LOFTEN's WALK.
II w. a warrl dar in March.

the Lii 70 the left and took the road
winch leads down through Dead Mans
Canon.
Is he walked down the rough road
lie noticed i litile child playing around
a pile Of wood which her father had
been ehopping
Farther dawa he saw two girls at a
-prIug. ami Is the yoeuger drank from
y in pail Sic said to her sister. -.what
-pleudiI water this Is.
Two men drawing stone left their
horses aud went to the girls for drink.
Some negroes were laughing and
talking around rough house ON the
--de Of the bluff.
III these things Loftea noticed as he
walked. and he also noticed two men.
evidently tramp~. who sat on 4 stone in
lonely part Of The canon talking in
low tones. which ceased entirely as he
came nearer.
LOften went ont through the canon
and crossed the tracks to the brewery.
IS here be was going To look at some
uew machiu ~.
After De hs.d examined the machine
lie wen; up Oh the roof Of the building.
from which there was an excellent view
Of the valley
Tie watched the river winding way
past cultivated lands and patches of
forests. dust sandy flats and rocky
bluffs lie noticed the tall >vcamoreS.
with their white bark. scattered over
tile valley. In the distance he could
See the piiej-up stone and the tall
m1St- If the derricks FOR moving it
where 81 greet bridge was being built.
and near ly the cluster Of houses cover
NJ with tar paper. where the workmen
lived ON the outside was the city
with IT, towers and chimney>. and over
I'll che dark cloud OF smoke curling
upward. And then there was the
river again. anj more flats aud more
bluffs anil mofc cultivated land. forest
ami whitcsaFkeI ~ycam0rcS.
Lef.eu went down and started for
home. A. Tie went up the canon the
men -t-il -at on the stone whispering
together. and agaiu stopped when he
came near
Il wa- rraUing dark. The men who
had brcG drawing stone had left their
wagon hy the road and gone for the
ghs. lie met one oil negro carrying
.,siI of water. There was no talking
a r. 81 as ~.
dies a-;g ]. and tire wafer ran quietly
down the hill. III little GIRL and the
mau who hrJ been chopping wood
were gone oo-
Near tic head Of tie canon Loften
met well dressed man going down
They nodded as they passed and said
something. about the bad walking.
Loftcu noticed that black clouds
were Gathering, and when he reached
the top al the bluil /; had become quite
clark. lie took % ear and went home,
and l. hg went into his house he heard
tile roar Df distant thunder.
- the flashes of lightning for a
second ilIumiucd the lower end of the
Dead Man Canon q well dressed man
i1r I'll THE road near the rock where the
two trampS had been whispering to-
srther tire trampS were gone
/; was still moonlight when the
4uarry-men started for their work
Tie storm had gone by ard the sky
was bright with stars
Is they entered the canon the pal
iur of tuc moon indicated that the sun
,.oull soon lie mp and the SKY was al
rcady growing rcd in the east. \
Ieht mist Ioated among the tops of
the sycamore trees ON the flats.
~uslutnly the men stopped.
EigLt before them on the road lay a
man. Ills clothes were soaked by the
rain. which iad fallen In torrents. and
hi- white rulld- and cuiIs were Soiled
with muJ Ills head was covered with
nud arL blood. and an ugly cash in his
fHroa; showed how he had died
oue Is the men NJ once started for
tie town % notify the authorities.
The coroner came and took charge
90 the body. and men were set ut work
Ia try and discover the murderer.
Inquiry at the brewery brought out
the fas, jh5t i strange man had been
seen there Iatc tEc previous afternoon.
ard an old negro testified 10 having
seen him going mp the canon \ con-
tlgesar ou oue 81 tine cars said a man
answering the description given by the
men at The brewery aad tine old negro
hsd ridden on his ear. \ grocer'> man
who hanpcasi 20 BE- driving by ilad seen
this man aud identified him u L0ften.
When the officers camc To his house
Lotteu was writing, and upon being
told that Dec WIS wanted went IT once.
thinking there was some mistake which
could IL easily explained. and 1t was
not until brought before the magistrate
that h. learned he was charged with
murder
He to.g lis story rs we have already
done, above. and pleaded his innocence,
hut the evidence against him seemed
too strong. and he was sent TO prison
Is await lis trial.
No one else had seen the two trampS,
nor could any traces of them be- found.
I.often lay uwake MI night in his cell.
IL knew that he was innocent, but
how was he to prove it? He had al
WAYS had a stainless reputation. and
now he was in prison accused OF
murder. lie thought Of the grief and
shame It would cause to his friends.
then he broke down and cried like 4
chjlJ
After that he remembered nothing.
When the taller came with his break
fast he found him staring at the blanb
wall Of his cell lie spoke to him. but
the prisoner did not move. Loften wa:
mad
He was committed TO an insane
asylum, but the Judge made a stipula
ton that If he should ever recover bis
reason he should he tried for murder
For seven years Charles Loften wd'
in the insane asylum. He ate and
slept. and was taken out to walk by {
nurse with some Of the other patients
but he never spoke and he never APP
peared to notice anybody or anything
st the end of seven wears MS reasoi
suddenly returned. Everything wa
clear up 10 the night of his imprisou
ment. but q the time he had spent Il
the ASYLUM he remembered nothing
The court was notified that be ha.